The Untold Truth Of Selma Blair
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The following references sexual misconduct allegations, physical assault allegations, and struggles with addiction.
Selma Blair, born Selma Blair Beitner, has been an actor since the '90s. With her signature chic look and dynamic personality, Blair has commanded some memorable characters, like the snarky Vivian in "Legally Blonde," lovesick Jane in "The Sweetest Thing," impressionable Cecile in "Cruel Intentions," and the pyrokinetic love interest to Hellboy in the "Hellboy" movie franchise. And though Blair achieved success on the big screen, she didn't shy away from television. From 1999-2000, she had a recurring role on "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane," snagged a guest spot on the popular series "Friends" in 2002, landed a lead in the short-lived "Kath and Kim" in 2008, and in 2012 began playing therapist Kate Wales on "Anger Management."
But Blair's life has been far from a Hollywood fairy tale. Later on in her career, she opened up about her health struggles, her fraught relationship with a close family member, and surviving multiple sexual assaults. Clearly a strong person in every sense, Blair is someone who is determined to live her best life no matter the circumstance. But it hasn't always been that way. Keep reading for more untold truths of Selma Blair.
She's been open about her illness
On October 20, 2018, Selma Blair posted a selfie on her Instagram along with a long heartfelt message to her fans, sharing that she has multiple sclerosis and was diagnosed in August of that year. She expressed her gratitude to Netflix (referring to her work on "Another Life") and relief at finally having the answers. "I am in the thick of it but I hope to give some hope to others. And even to myself," Blair said. Then the actor surprised everyone by appearing on the red carpet at Vanity Fair Oscars Party, looking stunning in a gown with black, pink, and green accents, holding a stylish cane. She shared some amazing images captured that night on Instagram, writing, "There are moments that define us. This is one of those indelibly watermarked in my heart."
One of her first interviews following her diagnosis was with ABC's Nightline. She told Robin Roberts she was doing well, adding, "If I can help anyone, or help anyone be more empathetic to someone that might seem like me or a lot worse, God forbid, then, you know, that's the least I can do right now."
Blair didn't stop there. Her 2021 documentary, "Introducing, Selma Blair," chronicles her fight against the disease, mainly focusing on an experimental stem cell replacement therapy. In one of her low moments she documented in a "cell phone diary," Blair is incapacitated in her bed and can be heard saying, "I'm in a ball in my bed. Everything's so blurry. This is gonna pass."
She had a tough relationship with her mother
In May of 2020, Selma Blair's mother, Molly Ann Beitner, died at the age of 82. Blair honored her mother in an Instagram post, sharing a picture of a young Molly Ann in her wedding gown, writing, "I worship you, Mom." Despite her heartfelt post expressing her great love for her mother, the pair had a rocky relationship.
In 2022, Blair released a book titled "Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up." While the memoir wasn't solely about her relationship with her mother, it was certainly woven with memories and a sentiment of love and devotion that wasn't returned. "There is always one person who gets under our skin, who knows our weak spots and neuroses and can't help but go in for the kill ... For me, that person is my mother," Blair wrote.
Following the release of her book, Blair spoke to Today, sharing that because of the hurt she endured from her mother, she's working hard to have a better relationship with her own child, Arthur, who was part of the motivation behind her book and documentary. She wrote a letter to Arthur at the end of her book, expressing her hope for his future. "I hope he sees that when you have something that could potentially be a real setback in time, set yourself up to recover. I don't want him to feel ashamed or too scared that he can't move forward," she told Today.
She had a Jewish upbringing
Selma Blair is the youngest of four daughters and as she detailed in her memoir, "Mean Baby," the girls were raised Jewish. Though it was her father's family that was Jewish, Blair shared that her Jewish upbringing was greatly driven by her mother as well. Blair wrote, "Even though my mother herself didn't identify as Jewish, it was important to her that I did. I was her chosen one. This became my first big role: to perform Jewishness." The actor went on to share that they celebrated Chanukah and observed Yom Kippur.
Blair, along with two of her sisters attended Hillel Day School, located over an hour away from where they grew up in Michigan. Even with the long commute, the actor expressed gratitude for having received that education. In the second grade, she officially converted. In a 2022 interview with Forward, she said of her present-day faith, "I am not observant in the sense of attending synagogue regularly, keeping kosher. But I observe the High Holidays with prayer and traditions at home."
It was the Passover Seder that not only gave Blair her first taste of alcohol but the realization that this was something comforting. "In that moment in the dining room, with the plagues and the frogs and the hail and the locusts, there came an epiphany. I realised, as I kept refilling my glass, the feeling was not God but fermentation," Blair wrote.
Why she got fired from Anger Management
In June of 2012, "Anger Management" premiered starring Charlie Sheen as an ex baseball player turned therapist and Selma Blair as Sheen's character's therapist. Of course the two characters had more than a doctor/patient relationship; she was also a friend — with benefits to boot. And though the series was only two seasons, Blair was cut from the show before the end of the long final season. According to TMZ, Sheen gave producers an ultimatum to fire Blair. Apparently, he was under the impression that she wasn't thrilled with him as a coworker. In a follow up article with The Hollywood Reporter, a source reported that Sheen sent Blair a rude text that included the c-word. While at the time, Blair wouldn't comment to the press, she did leave a short message on Twitter, thanking her fans for their support.
For Sheen's side of things, he gave a different story in a 2013 chat with Jay Leno, which included no mention of the reported feud between the two actors. "One of our primary characters, Selma Blair, who played Kate, was written out because [the show] was not about our relationship, and the problem was too many people were still excited about the 'Two and a Half Men' character and thought the 'Anger Management' character was a little dull," Sheen told Leno (via ABC News).
While there were rumors that Blair was looking into suing both Lionsgate Entertainment and the star of the show, no further reports were available on the matter.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is one of her dearest friends
In 1999, actors Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair riveted audiences and created an iconic pop culture moment when they kissed in the movie "Cruel Intentions." It was actually one of the sweeter moments in a flick that was centered around, well, cruel intentions. The actors even snagged the award for Best Kiss at the 2000 MTV Movie Awards and recreated the memorable scene on stage, though much more chaste this time.
Over the years the two friends popped up in each other's social media feed, appeared together on red carpets, and even attended concerts together. In 2019, Gellar posted a pic of the two actors/friends at Race to Erase MS Gala, captioning it, "About last night.... the true definition of brave, my friend @selmablair." Blair mentioned Gellar in a 2021 article in Variety as one of the people who's provided support during her times of need.
In June of 2022, Gellar turned 45 years old, Blair turned 50 and both women honored each other in heartfelt messages on Instagram. Blair wrote, "Happy birthday SMG. I love you forever and have since we met..." while Gellar said, "If I told that little girl on the right, that the girl to her left was going to be her lifelong friend... she would say "I know" ... I'm always with you. I love you my mean baby."
She filed a restraining order against an ex
According to the Daily Mail, Selma Blair began dating filmmaker Ron Carlson sometime in 2015. At first it was unclear who the mystery man was that Blair had been spotted out with from time to time. Then in 2017, the two were seen, along with Blair's son, Arthur, navigating a rainy day together. In 2018, OK! featured a snapshot of a smiling Blair with Carlson's daughter, writing "Selma Blair looks happier than ever."
At some point in the relationship, things went terribly wrong between the couple. In February of 2022, People reported that Blair filed a restraining order against Carlson, claiming he assaulted her. In court papers obtained by the publication, Blair alleged that when Carlson was at her home to drop off a TV, he both verbally and physically attacked her, leaving her unconscious. When she awoke he was gone and she called the police, who later arrested Carlson. In response, Carlson filed his own restraining order against Blair. Elle also reported on the incident, citing court papers they viewed in which Blair wrote that she was afraid for her safety as well as her son's.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
She's in recovery
Selma Blair has been an open book since her 2018 multiple sclerosis diagnosis, as well as ever since she literally wrote a book about her life, "Mean Baby." In it, she candidly shared that her struggle with alcohol started at an early age. As she told the hosts of "The View," "It turned out I loved it, and there was no way I was going to stop." She went on to share that by age seven she was drinking regularly without her mother knowing. She shared in her memoir that her father did witness her drunk and throwing up when she was in grade school, but did not intervene. Looking back, Blair learned that her long history with mystery symptoms and illnesses were a driving force for her drinking. "As sad as it sounds, I think that maybe I wouldn't have survived those years without alcohol," she told Elle. The drinking progressed into adulthood and as she detailed in her memoir, she was sexually assaulted while intoxicated.
In 2016, Blair found sobriety. "It didn't become a battle until I realized it was ruining my personality," she said on "The View."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Why she was removed from an airplane
Many people who struggle with alcoholism have their "rock bottom" story, the incident that precedes a significant life change. For Selma Blair, that happened in 2016 after a family vacation in Mexico. On the flight home with her son and his father, Jason Bleick, Blair blacked out and had to be taken off the plane, igniting a media firestorm. TMZ reported that Blair was seen taking something that could have been pills while drinking. Source also said she was crying, saying, "He beats me. He's going to kill me."
Not long after, Blair made a public apology via an exclusive statement to Vanity Fair. "I made a big mistake yesterday," she said. "After a lovely trip with my son and his Dad, I mixed alcohol with medication, and that caused me to black out and led me to say and do things that I deeply regret."
But it wasn't the public humiliation that motivated Blair to take action; it was her son. She shared on "The View," "I am a mother. That is my most important job." And when she awoke in the hospital to learn she almost died from her days' long drinking binge as a result of physical and emotional pain, she made a decision to change. "And I thought, it's over. It's done and I will do anything, anything this time to not be this person and break the cycle for my son. And I did."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Working with makeup line for those with disability
Besides being an accomplished actor, one of the things Selma Blair is known for is her personal style, which includes her makeup. As one can imagine, doing your makeup could prove challenging if you have an illness like multiple sclerosis, which causes nerve damage that could result in impaired coordination. These symptoms vary depending on the person and their treatment. As documented in "Introducing, Selma Blair," Blair experienced the ups and downs of impaired speech and mobility, which improved after her experimental stem cell treatment. In the starting of her documentary, she looks in the mirror while getting ready, then proceeds to put on makeup, a bit breathless and struggling with the application.
In March of 2019, Blair posted a humorous makeup tutorial on her Instagram in which she uses a big brush and quickly runs it over her whole face before stating, "There. Done. Stop." We don't know if that was the lightbulb moment, but in June of 2022, People reported Blair had joined GUIDE Beauty as Chief Creative Officer. According to their website, GUIDE Beauty is, "Universally designed tools that literally guide your hand to better and easier application, along with luxurious, clean formulas." Blair told the magazine that she was already successfully using the products before her official involvement in the company. "It was a catalyst to further opening my curiosity on beauty and ease and mood," she added.
Getting back to her love of horses
In 2011, a pregnant Selma Blair was photographed with her 10-year-old horse, Taffy. And if you scroll her social media feed over the years, you'll find that horses have always been a part of her life. Like her 2014 #throwbackthursday shot of her sister and herself posing with horse when she was just 14. Or the 2017 picture she shared on Twitter of her in full riding gear atop her horse, Ivy. And about five months later, she proudly posted a pic of a white horse with the caption, "I am so excited I cannot even believe I have my very first amazing show horse." Sadly, Blair shared on Instagram in July of 2019 that she only had a short time with the horse before she couldn't get on him due to her MS symptoms. But she vowed to jump the horse again and continue to grow stronger so she could get back to a place of "self love."
Blair's determination and love for the four-legged creatures would soon pay off. In August of 2020, she shared on her Instagram two images of her riding her horse—one where she's leaning over embracing the horse and another in which she appears to be going over an obstacle. She wrote, "Getting back on my horse ❤️ It is what I miss the most about my current abilities or disabilities. But today, we managed to get it together to have a few minutes and I could not stop smiling."
She came forward about James Toback
On October 22, 2017, the Los Angeles Times broke a story with the headline, "38 women have come forward to accuse director James Toback of sexual harassment." It detailed the story of a predator who sought young acting hopefuls, lure and manipulated them with the promise of a career only to sexually harass them and threaten violence. Few women were named in the article, but one of the unnamed was Selma Blair. However, days later, Blair, along with actor Rachel McAdams, spoke exclusively with Vanity Fair about their traumatic experiences with Toback. Blair said it was Toback's denial of the allegations that spurred her to act.
Blair recalled meeting with Toback at his hotel in 1999. As she told Vanity Fair, she had requested they meet in the restaurant, but upon arrival, she was rerouted to his room. According to Blair, their meeting strangely turned into a conversation where Toback claimed he could have someone killed. Blair also said that at one point he asked her to read naked. "Because I need to see how your body moves. How comfortable you are with your body. This is where I start training you," she said he told her. Things only escalated from there, and she didn't tell anyone out of fear.
In 2018, The Guardian reported the news that Toback would not face charges since the allegations fell outside California's statute of limitations.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
She hopes to be in Legally Blonde 3
One of Selma Blair's most iconic roles was as a snooty nemesis turned ally to Reese Witherspoon's Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde." As Vivian, Blair somehow made her character go from annoying to endearing. Which was quite a feat given how many times Viv displayed her RBF.
At the 20-year virtual anniversary of the first movie, some of the actors reminisced about being on set. "I knew this movie would be big," Blair said of watching Witherspoon's energy during filming.
In July of 2022, Blair was on the podcast "Shut Up, Evan," and host Evan Ross Katz brought up that an alternate ending to "Legally Blonde" featured Vivian and Elle on the beach in Hawaii, drinking margaritas. Blair laughed and said she would've been thrilled by that final scene. She also commented on the possibility of appearing in a third installment — Blair's character Vivian was not in "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" — saying, "I hope I get to at least make a cameo."
Selma Blair's net worth
Since her early 20s, Selma Blair has graced both the small and big screen, and over the years she's amassed a net worth of $6 million.
In 2016, she portrayed Kris Jenner in "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story." Though it was a supporting role, it caused a lot of buzz with fans and the press, and in a 2018 BUILD series interview, Blair figured her portrayal of the Kardashian-Jenner family matriarch would be her most talked-about role ever. Little did she know that only months later she would be diagnosed with MS and reveal it to the world. A few years after that, Blair would take on her most important, moving, and heartbreaking project: appearing in "Introducing, Selma Blair," her 2021 documentary that chronicled her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis as well as her experimental stem cell treatment and chemotherapy.
One year after the treatment, Blair would tell People, "I'm doing really well. I'm in remission with the MS and you know everything's looking really, really good." Does that mean she'll go back to acting? In the documentary, Blair gave a simple "no." But in her People cover story, she did say, "I look forward to great career things that I never even considered before." In 2021, she did tell Variety she would consider acting again. "Yes, if there's the right thing—I'm not going to try and insinuate myself in somewhere," she said. Only time will tell.